Simon BriaultThe 32 hectares that comprise the site of the Creekside Mills development are rich in natural beauty. Frost Creek, fed by the glacial waters of Mount Baker, runs through the property, which offers south-facing mountain views and includes a huge forested hillside with a trail overlooking Cultus Lake.

There used to be an old hobby farm here, and the vision for the land’s redevelopment pays homage to that history. The developers of Creekside Mills are building a community based on a farm-to-table concept and will dedicate four hectares to agriculture. There are plans for a large orchard, community gardens, a berry field, a farmers’ market and a hen house that will provide fresh eggs in the morning. The 129 single-family homes will back onto either the creek or the orchard.

“We’re going to build it and then it will be up to the owners to decide how they want to use it,” Steven Van Geel, sales director for Creekside Mills, said. “They could sell produce to the public, they could donate it or they could use it themselves. There will be a full-time caretaker who will be responsible for the gardens and the orchards. Owners can be involved as much or as little as they like.”

Creekside Mills is being set up as a bare-land strata. This means that residents will be responsible for looking after their own freehold properties and yards, with all of the common areas in the gated community being maintained through strata fees.

“We’re getting interest from a good mix of retirees or semi-retirees and young families who are trying to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and want a quieter lifestyle for their kids,” Van Geel added. “The demographic of homeowners will vary, but the mindset will be the same. This is the recreational, lake-country lifestyle where you know all your neighbours.”

The Creekside Mills project and the Frosst Creek Development Company behind it is a true family affair. Steven Van Geel and his wife are handling the sales, his father is the developer and his brothers are the landscapers.

“We’re a very family-focused company and we all live in this area,” Van Geel said. “We’ve hired our own team of construction workers and local tradespeople so that we can monitor the quality of the construction.”

Creekside Mills offers two rancher plans and five two-level plans, all with single- or double-car garages, and an average of 450 square feet of deck space. Homes have two or three bedrooms, as well as dens and versatile loft spaces that can be converted into extra bedrooms.

Following the completion of the nearby Cottages at Cultus Lake, the Van Geel family recognized that there was a demand for a community and housing style that people could enjoy year-round. As a result, the homes at Creekside Mills will offer a much higher level of luxury. They have been designed with vaulted living rooms, tall windows and forced air heating systems. Ensuite bathrooms will feature designer showers with frameless glass doors and hand-held shower sprays.

“It’s pretty sophisticated for this area,” Van Geel said. “There’s not a lot of development in Cultus Lake. You can get something like this around the main beach area, but if you have even a smidgen of a lake view, you’ll be paying eight or nine hundred grand and it’s likely to have been built back in the ’70s. Here you can get a brand new home with high-end finishes starting at $500,000.”

Homes at Creekside Mills will also come with access to a 4,600-square-foot clubhouse, which will include a lap pool, a separate children’s pool and hot tubs. The community features tennis courts, a basketball court, playgrounds, community firepits and an extensive trail network running through the property.

“This whole site is just soaked in sun all day long,” Van Geel said. “When you’re at the clubhouse, you’ll have expansive mountain views, you’ll be surrounded by nature and there’ll be the noise of the creek in the background. Sitting on that pool deck will be like a resort in Mexico, except the landscape will, of course, be unique to B.C.”

The country-style residences will be built in four phases: 44, 26, 36 and 23 homes. The clubhouse, all the amenities and the first phase of homes are scheduled to be complete by the summer of 2016.

Creekside Mills at Cultus Lake

Project location: 1687 Columbia Valley Rd., Lindell Beach

Project size: 129 single-family homes with either two or three bedrooms

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Creekside Mills taps into country life

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